She Makes My Blood Boil
by Red Witch
Summary: What's good for Niko is bad for Goose as he finally gets a taste of his own medicine.


**The disclaimer telling all of you that I don't own any Galaxy Rangers characters has been shot into outer space. I just thought it would be fun to make Goose jealous for once. **

**She Makes My Blood Boil**

Crazy. That woman drives me crazy.

Every time I think I have that woman figured out she turns around and finds a new way to annoy me. First it's all that peaceful cultural crap, and that oh so patronizing smile when she **knows** I'm annoyed.

"It'll be good for you Goose…" I **hate **it when she says that.

Whenever she says something like that it's a clear indication that I will be bored out of my mind.

This time she said it as the Rangers were assigned to go to some snooty archeological conference to guard the ambassadors and a few artifacts. Like anyone would bother with some dusty bones and old rocks.

Shows what I know.

Anyway we're not even there ten minutes when we run into one of the head speakers. Darren McGavin, one of those rich kids who actually decided to do something with their boring life. In his case he's an archeologist.

An archeologist that looks more like a freaking male model.

He's standing there with his fancy suit, dark hair and blue eyes just laughing and joking with Niko as if they've been together forever. It turns out that he and Niko took a few classes together back at the Ranger Academy before he dropped out. They're old friends.

Old friends that are laughing up a storm and getting along like a house on fire.

What am I doing? Why do I care if she's attracted to him? So what if he's good looking?

I'm Shane Gooseman for crying out loud. Nearly seven feet tall, green eyed blonde bombshell that makes women weak at the knees.

Okay technically I've never really slept around and seduced any woman but that's beside the point. Most people don't know that. After I left Wolf Den I soon learned that I was rather good looking and with a little effort could be quite the charmer. I learned a new personality to shift into in order to help me to get by. And playing the part of Ladies' Man does help a lot more than one thinks.

It keeps people at a distance. Another mask for me to hide behind.

But Niko…Damn it somehow she found a way to see right through me.

I admit it was fun to flirt a little in front of her. Just to make her jealous and show her that she couldn't win me so easily. I wasn't going to be a pushover for her no matter how good looking she was.

I feel like a total idiot now.

Stupid me. It never occurred to me that she was going to turn around and do the same thing to me.

I didn't think she was the type. Unless…Oh no…

She really likes this guy for **real.**

That's even worse.

Not knowing is driving me crazy. Seeing her with him is making me insane.

The only time I'd ever felt anything like this was back at Wolf Den. When Darkstar was with Stingray. It drove me crazy and I couldn't understand why she hung around with him all the time.

This was ten times worse.

I **knew** what she saw in him. He was cultured, rich, liked the same things she did. Was interested in archeology…

That wasn't the **only thing** he was interested in. I could tell as he looked at her.

Then he looked at me and gave me that grin. You know, the grin that says 'Sorry Chump, but the lady's with me.'

Oh I wanted nothing more than to smash that smug face into the pavement repeatedly.

But I didn't. No I had to stand there and **take it** because I'm a freaking tame Galaxy Ranger. Sometimes this job really bites.

Then again why the hell should I care? I mean it's not like Niko and I are dating or ever dated or anything! We're team mates. Nothing more.

Team mates that have been through more scrapes than I can count.

I've **told** that woman things. Private things I never wanted anyone else to find out about.

She's seen some of my nightmares and darkest fears first hand. But she didn't back down.

Then again. She's had a nightmare or two of her own. And I've been there for her. I'll always be there for her.

So why the hell is she with **that guy** if she knows that…?

Oh no, no, no! I can't be jealous! Because if I'm jealous then that means…

No, I **won't** say it! I won't say something stupid like I'm in love with her.

I'm not. I can't be. Maybe…

No! Sort of…I…

Oh crap. I **am** in love. The **one thing** I swore would never happen to me again after Darkstar! I thought I learned my lesson back then but apparently not.

How the hell did **this** happen? Okay she's beautiful and I've always been attracted to her. But that's different. I mean it's only natural to admire a beautiful woman, even if she is your team mate. Right?

Not that I ever did anything about it. Oh yeah the Board of Leaders and Commander Walsh would love **that!** I have **enough** problems without them going over my love life thank you very much!

Love is just a luxury for someone like me. A luxury I can't afford.

But it still cuts into me like a knife seeing them together.

Anyway long story short a bunch of bandits break into the conference to try and steal some artifact that turns out to have some kind of great power. And during the battle it somehow gets busted creating some kind of power backlash. And then it got busted up even more creating an even bigger backlash that threatened to blow up the entire space station.

What do you mean how did it get damaged? That's not important.

It just isn't.

Okay! Okay! I **shot** at the stupid thing and broke it! Happy?

Niko sure wasn't. Me and my hair trigger reflexes certainly got a tongue lashing.

That wasn't the worst part. The worst part is we all nearly got fried until both Niko and Darren used their powers to create a shield around us.

Yes I said Darren. On top of everything else he was **also** a psychic. Not as powerful as Niko but he had enough to help her get the stupid thing under control and fix the problem.

Could this day get any better?

Niko and Mr. Perfect save the day. Whoopee. And I'm standing there with egg on my face and forced to put up with Doc's stupid jokes on how the Galaxy Rangers had to save the world from my shooting.

Not to mention Zachery wasn't exactly too thrilled with what happened and Commander Walsh cut my target practice time to only once a week as punishment.

I can't even blow stuff up to work out my frustration. Wonderful!

So here I am again. I've reverted back to that insecure kid back at Wolf Den, wondering why I'm not good enough for the person I care about. And I hate it.

The only good thing about the whole mess was that I was ordered to return immediately to BETA. There was this stupid party Darren and the other archeologists were throwing and I guess Walsh was worried I'd break something else. Zach and the others would stay at the party and come back on another ship.

I was only too glad to get into Ranger One to leave when I saw that I wasn't going to be alone on the return trip.

"What are you doing here?" I did a double take at Niko in the cockpit.

"I'm making sure **you** don't crash the ship," Niko smiled at me.

"What about the party?"

"What about it?" She asked. "I don't have time to go anyway. I have a lot of research I need to do back at BETA."

"But I thought…I mean……You're not going out with Darren?" I did a double take.

"Nope," She shook her head.

"But he's a psychic…" I said without thinking.

"So?" Niko asked.

"You don't…Like him?" I was curious. "I mean…as a…"

"Not really," She gave me a look. "He's not my type. I like blondes. Especially Supertroopers that are trigger happy and a bit clueless."

That really stunned me. Then she gave me a look. "Shane, don't you think it's time we grew up a little and stopped playing games?"

I really had no idea what to say to that. "Uh…"

"Now you know how **I** feel all the time when you flirt with every pretty girl you see," She folded her arms.

"So you were just trying to teach me a lesson?" I was really getting mad now.

"That was part of it, yes," She looked at me coolly.

"And the other?" I snapped.

"You're really cute when you're mad," She smiled and winked before returning her attention to flying the ship again.

I give up. I can't beat this woman.

She drives me crazy.

And I like it.


End file.
